Q&A

What or Who inspires you?

My daughter. The promise of her passion and ingenuity. The people of the Movement and collaboration. Injustice inspires me to create strategy for shift and lasting change.

Why Social Justice?

Because of the unfair or unjust treatment of people within our society, social justice provides us with a guideline and path to challenge the status quo and create access to equity and the equal distribution of opportunities, rights and for every human being to have access to not just their basic needs but to fulfill their dreams and imagine.

What is the importance of art
in social justice?

My dad told me “Artists are the gatekeepers of truth, civilizations radical voice…”
Art is the best tool to communicate messages of hope and a powerful way to convey messages across cultural barriers that so often divide us. Art and activism are both built on exposing the truth. Art opens up hearts and minds, it creates a magical doorway to dialogue. Art is grounded in the act of doing and activism is about making change, doing. Art helps us to heal and when we heal we can transform.

The Baton has been passed
and graciously held

Gina Belafonte is an award-winning Producer, Director, Actress, Educator, Prison Abolitionist, and Freedom Activist. Co-founder of Sankofa.org, Gina has been using art as a tool for over 25 years to communicate messages of hope and civic engagement. Since its creation in 2013 Sankofa.org has been on the front lines and at the intersection of art and activism, organizing thousands to stand up for justice. As one of the lead organizers, Gina helped create one of the largest Marches in US history, as a Women's March Los Angeles co-Chair, MC and producer. One of Gina's favorite things is collaboration and she has contributed to and partnered on many projects with artists such as Whoopi Goldberg, Alfre Woodard, Billy Porter, Laverne Cox, Jesse Williams,  Douglas Miles, Shepard Farey, Ernesto Farrell, Hank Willis Thomas, and For Freedoms to name a few. Her leadership at Sankofa.org has led to some of the largest Voting campaigns in US history. "Art has a unique way of opening hearts and minds. Giving audiences an opportunity to see themselves reflected in the art itself. Art not only show's the world as it is but as it could be."

Artivism

As an artist Gina has produced several international and critically acclaimed documentaries that have been seen on HBO, PBS, and Prime, some of which include Sing Your Song, A Survivor's Guide To Prison, and The March.

Gina Produced the awe-inspiring Many Rivers To Cross Music and Art Festival in Georgia just before the 2016 Vote in an effort to educate voters on the issues of voter suppression and mass incarceration. The headliners of that festival were Carlos Santana, Dave Mathews, Estelle, Maxwell, Common, Dianne Reeves, John Legend, TI, Macklamore,
Alyce Smith and so many more. Instead of DJ sets between musical acts we created space for national and local activists to speak to the thousands of guests who came to the festival, such as Stacy Abrams, Angela Davis, Rashad Robinson, Sonia Sanchez, Brian Stevenson +. At that time this festival was a venue for the largest voter registration in HeadCount history.

More on Gina

Born and raised in New York City, Gina Belafonte has spent her life in the arenas of entertainment and activism where her professional work thrives today. As the youngest child of Julie and Harry Belafonte, whose impact in these fields is among the most influential and progressive in the world, Gina’s passions come as no surprise.

As the lead producer on the internationally acclaimed documentary film, SING YOUR SONG, exploring the extraordinary life and legacy of Harry Belafonte that was selected as the opening film for the Sundance Film Festival
in 2011, Gina is also an actress, director, and coach.

Boards

2nd CALL
(Second Chance At Loving Life)

2nd Call has continuously grown each year with a bright glow shining proudly on the name and has quickly become the organization often referred to when mentioning Trauma-Informed Care with facilitation of Parenting, Anger Management, Domestic Violence and Re-Entry programs. MORE

The Actors Gang

The Actors’ Gang theater company has produced over 100 plays in Los Angeles, in forty US states, and on five continents. Guided by Founding Artistic Director, Tim Robbins, the company provides a supportive environment for a diverse ensemble of artists and the development of their groundbreaking work. MORE

Get Lit

Get Lit is a Los Angeles-based arts education non-profit founded in 2006 by Diane Luby Lane to increase literacy, empower youth, and inspire communities through poetry. Today, the curriculum has expanded from serving three schools to over 145 schools annually, representing an extremely broad range of school and community cultures throughout California and the global community. MORE

Rosenberg Fund For Children

The Rosenberg Fund for Children was established to provide for the educational and emotional needs of children whose parents have suffered because of their progressive activities and who, therefore, are no longer able to provide fully for their children. The RFC also provides grants for the educational and emotional needs of targeted activist youth. MORE